Unions are in

[Smartieshavetheanswer]

Behaviour in my comprehensive school is escalating badly. Union has been in for teaching staff, about 40 teachers, some middle management, turned up. Union bod recognises that we have "major problems". TA union meet scheduled soon. They unanimously feel the same. I'm friendly with reception, admin and kitchen staff and they feel strongly that their voices should be heard. They feel the same. Abused daily, weak consequences for those that bother to follow senior staff. Those that walk away get zero consequence - maybe a data exclusion - the kids laugh and love it.

We are, as a 130+ staff group, on our knees. SMT have not and do not recognise the issue. Union is reporting to Head next week and giving them 3 weeks to respond.

I'm concerned about the whole staff team and want their voices to be heard.

I want to look at strategies for dealing with a huge percentage of problem children (deprived area, high unemployment).

Desperate, sad and unable to face my own job. Only going in to support my colleagues and teach the small minority of pupils who know how to behave.

*love

I'd love to
Have a direct talk to Richard Tutt - the headteacher that turned a school around with zero tolerance.

Don't suppose anyone knows
Him...

I'm so sorry, reading this through I'm glad unions are on board with you. What really stuck out from your comments is that Governors are not aware. Please speak to them promptly - if they back staff against SLT that could avoid strike and would help add weight to union/ofsted findings...otherwise I recommend keeping clear and detailed records, as for emails to confirm etc. Good luck!

I've been where you are now, it is soul destroying. As others have said, there are better places out there - but easier said than done to move schools and you need all the support the union can give you. Govs and LA should also be involved. Not sure how much good this will do but here is RTutt

It’s terrible to read this but simultaneously heartening to see the solidarity your staff have. I understand your will to stay there. If you do leave though... choose carefully. It’s easy to leap from the frying pan into the fire in the current climate. As several of my new colleagues at my (current, toxic) school can prove.

I've taken great comfort from everyone's comments here. Thank you all ever so much.

Pippa when you say "duty of care to report" re safeguarding and the accusations made - do you mean that SMT should have alerted the Education Authorities? Would that mean the they investigate the teacher or the child?

I'm so sorry to read this OP and at the same time it's so lovely to hear that you and your colleagues are clearly so dedicated to the school it's wrong when staff are not supported by SLT and this is why so many good teachers leave.

I hope the union involvement helps and I hope that the support staff get a say .

The school I work in isn't perfect but at least our head will back her staff - I hope you get the same soon!

So much of this (other than the social deprivation bit) sounds like my school.

I find the whole behaviour debate on Twitter at the moment , stoked from both sides by men (mainly) who have not recently stepped inside a classroom, and certainly long distant from being mainscale teachers, really unhelpful, ignorant and blind to the issues many of us face daily.

.

Piggy, I can’t handle edutwitter at the moment! The resources people upload are so helpful but the relentless positivity and ‘I love my job’ and ‘looking forward to being back in the classroom!’ stuff today is doing my head in. I could not dread tomorrow more.

Haha! True. ( I have been back for a week). I have to remind myself that it's a constructed persona!

Some straightforward guidance.

www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/safeguarding-responsibilities-in-schools/